Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-01-24
TIE INTERESTS OFTIIE PARTY At
STAKE.

The Kanawha GazcHc has the following
editorial ON the relations of the members
of the Legislature to the caucus question,
that goes right to the mark:
Simply stated, this is the situation:
More than twO-thirlS Of the Democratic
members Of the Legislature declare that the
caucus should be held; less than One-thlrd
believe that it should not. Now, one side
or the other must give way; which shall 1t
be, the minority OF the majority? Every
body knows perfectly well that 1t Is not
only one of the fundamental principles al
the Democratic party, but of the Republic
itself, that the majority shall rule. The
real difficulty, however, weare told, II not
whether we shall or shall not have eau
Gus, but il is, whether Mr.. Camden shall
succeed himself or some other Democrat
shall succeed him. IL is insisted that to
hold a caucus Is the same rs to elect MIR. Cam
den. Well, If \ majority oithe Democratic
members of the Legislature want MIR.
Camden, ought they not to have HIM
Can il he possible that it would be more
dangerous To the Democratic party To dis
please the minority than it would be to
displeaSc the majority? Is there single
Democrat, either in the Legislature or out
of it, who can truthlully say that it would?
On the contrary, dO We not all know that
the exact reverse is true? To say that II
MIR. Camden has his lease al Senatorial life
renewed, the result will he calamitOus to
the Democratic party, is equivalent To say
ing that if the minority cannot he permit
ted tO name the Senator they will DO their
hest to overthrow the supremacy Oi the
marty in the State And Is not that, again,
tantamOunt To saying that the party is
nothing To them when it ceases To sub
serve their interests or to obey their will?
The gentlemen OF the minority know
something of the bitterness of defeat when
il has been accomplished through the in
strumcntality of the majority and strictly
in line with and conformity 10 the unIver-
sally recognized uSageS OF the party. Let
them iudgc, then, Of the feelings of the
majority ii defeat should he inflicted upon
them in defiance otparty law and common
right and fairness and by u partnership
with the common enemy
II majority rule is hard to he borne
sometimes would not minority rule be- al
together intolerablc?
We have no feeling one way or the other
As to the personal phase Of the Senatorial
contest. We have no acquaintance with
MIR. Camden, and never spoke Ia him IN
our lives. 10 is entirely possible that
the Democratic party might do better
than to rc-elcct him; it is equally pos
siblc that it might do worse. But the
matter OF fact seems 10 be, that n
majority of the representatives OF the
party elected to the Legislature prefer Mr..
Camden. The majority can agree upon
him, and they appear to be unable to
agree upon any other candidate. The mat
ter, then, stands thus, il the Democratic
marty is 10 name the Senator, Mr.. Camden
will he the man; it the Republicans are to
select him, i'm connection with n small mi
nOrity of the Democrats, then somebody
else will be chosen.
If the gentlemen composing the minority
succeed in their scheme and prevent eau
Gus, and in this way let the Republicans
determine who shall be elected to the
United States Senate, in future Senatorial
contests the Democratic candidates will
have to he much more certain that the Re
publicans will approve them than that the
Democrats will. And it would be much
more injurious to any OF them To offend
Republicans than to incur the ill-will of
Democrats IL is uncomfortable how any
Democratic member of the Legislature can
lend himself to the production of such
result
The above impartial statement applies
as we'll since the caucus has been held rs
before and should carry conviction to all
who read. Nearly three-fOurths of the
Democratic members of the Legislature,
as the representatives of three-fourths Of
the Democracy of the State, are agreed up
on certain policy, rs being best for the
party-and for the State. Under the rule
that is the fnndation OF Democracy and Of
free government, the wishes and the deci-
sion of this majority should be respected.
To proceed according to any other policy
would be to bring the whole fabric Of gov